Velodyne Lidar Unveils Breakthrough Solid State Sensor for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomy

November 13, 2020

Available in Affordable Mass Quantities, Velarray H800 is the First in a Family of Solid State Sensors to Enhance Automakers’ Safety Features

SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#lidar—Velodyne Lidar, Inc. (Nasdaq: VLDR) today debuted its latest innovation in its broad array of lidar sensors, the Velarray H800. The solid state Velarray H800 is architected for automotive grade performance and built using Velodyne’s breakthrough proprietary micro-lidar array architecture (MLA). With combined long-range perception and a broad field of view, this sensor is designed for safe navigation and collision avoidance in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous mobility applications. The Velarray H800’s compact, embeddable form factor is designed to fit neatly behind the windshield of a truck, bus or car, or be mounted seamlessly on the vehicle exterior. The Velarray H800 will be available at high-volume production levels with a target price of less than $500 to drive broad adoption in consumer and commercial vehicle markets.

“Velodyne’s launch of the Velarray H800 lidar sensor, which is the first in a family of solid state lidars we will be releasing publicly, is important to automakers for three reasons,” said Anand Gopalan, Velodyne Lidar CEO. “First, the Velarray H800 was specifically designed for high volume automotive applications with feedback from leading OEM customers. It uses Velodyne’s global network of high-quality manufacturing partnerships that provide the high quantity automakers need. Second, Velodyne’s proprietary technology and experience, combined with our manufacturing capacity, allow us to offer the sensor at a price that makes economic sense for automakers. Third, the world needs enhanced safety in consumer vehicles and the Velarray product line makes that available to end consumers creating safer roadways and cars for all.”

The Velarray H800 can help automakers design ADAS solutions that help reduce traffic accidents as well as injuries and deaths of drivers, passengers, bicyclists and pedestrians. The World Health Organization reports that annual deaths caused by traffic crashes have reached 1.35 million globally.

“We want to help build the public’s trust in automated vehicle systems,” Marta Hall, Velodyne founder and CMO, commented. “We believe the Velarray H800 is the first of many lidar sensors that will be used in systems for powerful vehicle safety. Velodyne is introducing it as a key sensor for systems designed as building blocks for vehicle safety. Once the public experiences the benefits of reliable automated safety systems, they will welcome more products like this. We can save lives with ADAS.”

The Velarray H800 boasts outstanding range, field of view and resolution to support advancements in autonomy and ADAS, from Level 2 to Level 5. This spans the entirety of ADAS features from Lane Keep Assist and Automated Emergency Braking, all the way to the top levels of automated driving. The compact, low cost sensor can be paired with Velodyne’s Vella software suite, enabling the full spectrum of safety features.

The efficacy of lidar in creating robust and feature-rich ADAS has been acknowledged across the auto industry in the past few years. Proprietary testing indicated superiority of the Velarray-based solution where a traditional camera and radar system failed. Please see Velodyne’s recently issued white paper regarding Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking (PAEB) here.

With a field of view of 120 horizontal degrees by 16 vertical degrees, the Velarray H800 allows for outstanding detection of peripheral, near-field, and overhead objects while addressing corner cases on sloping and curving roads. The Velarray H800 provides perception data at a range of up to 200 meters, supporting safe stopping distances even at highway speeds. Featuring a configurable frame rate, the Velarray H800 offers the rich point cloud density required for high resolution mapping and object classification tasks.

Drawing on insights gained from going public, Gopalan commented, “During meetings with investors over the past several months, I have received many questions about Velodyne’s solid state roadmap. The fact is that Velodyne has offered solid state lidar sensors for more than two years, but we’ve used the term ‘directional’ sensors to describe Velodyne’s solid state lidar technology. With the introduction of the Velarray H800, we saw the opportunity to demonstrate how Velodyne’s lidar technology prowess spans many form factors and applications. Velodyne wants to improve roadway safety by making all vehicles smarter. That’s why we are working so hard to provide ADAS technology that can be implemented in the marketplace now. You will soon see more of our sensors and software product releases, offering building blocks of vehicle safety for the public.”

The Velarray H800 is Velodyne’s first new sensor to be launched since the company went public on September 30, 2020. The sensor kicks off the next generation of the company’s solid state lidar portfolio. It complements and leverages Velodyne’s expertise in innovating, building and delivering lidar technology.

About Velodyne Lidar

Velodyne Lidar (NASDAQ: VLDR) ushered in a new era of autonomous technology with the invention of real-time surround view lidar sensors. Velodyne is the first public pure-play lidar company and is known worldwide for its broad portfolio of breakthrough lidar technologies. Velodyne’s revolutionary sensor and software solutions provide flexibility, quality and performance to meet the needs of a wide range of industries, including autonomous vehicles, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), robotics, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), smart cities and security. Through continuous innovation, Velodyne strives to transform lives and communities by advancing safer mobility for all. For more information, visit www.velodynelidar.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this release may contain “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including, without limitation, all statements other than historical fact and include, without limitation, statements regarding Velodyne’s target markets, new products, development efforts, competition. When used in this press release, the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “can”, “future,” “propose” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside Velodyne’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include Velodyne’s ability to manage growth; Velodyne’s ability to execute its business plan; uncertainties related to the ability of Velodyne’s customers to commercialize their products and the ultimate market acceptance of these products; the uncertain impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Velodyne’s and its customers’ businesses; uncertainties related to Velodyne’s estimates of the size of the markets for its products; the rate and degree of market acceptance of Velodyne’s products; the success of other competing lidar and sensor-related products and services that exist or may become available; uncertainties related to Velodyne’s current litigation and potential litigation involving Velodyne or the validity or enforceability of Velodyne’s intellectual property; and general economic and market conditions impacting demand for Velodyne’s products and services. Velodyne undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.